Use simple high-and-low body prompts for a toddler: reach overhead, touch knees and return to standing with close supervision. Sit or stand in a clear area. Raise both hands for ‘reach high.’.

Start with arms only

For the first round, sit or stand and raise both hands overhead, then bring them down to the knees. Young children do not need to touch the floor.

Use slow transitions

Pause between high and low. This gives the toddler time to watch, copy and regain balance. Avoid repeated fast bending.

Add simple body words

Try high hands, low knees, wide arms and hands together. Keep instructions short and demonstrate every movement.

Let the child choose

Ask “high or low?” and follow the child’s choice. When they make their own movement, copy it back.

Use standing only when stable

An unsteady toddler can play while seated. A confident walker can stand with the adult close by. There is no jumping, climbing or reaching for real objects above the head.

Keep the range comfortable

“High” and “low” are relative. A toddler may raise hands only to shoulder height or bend only far enough to touch thighs. The adult follows the child’s comfortable range rather than pushing for a bigger stretch.

Turn directions into a tiny sequence

Once “reach high” and “touch low” are familiar, combine two or three cues at a calm pace: high, low, hands together. Pause between each action so the child can finish one movement before hearing the next. Keep every reach inside a comfortable range and use ordinary standing or seated play; there is no need to stretch to maximum height or bend deeply to make the sequence interesting.

Make high and low relative

Reach High, Touch Low can use three levels instead of only two: high, middle and low. The child might reach overhead, touch shoulders or hips for middle, and touch knees for low. Mix the cues slowly and ask for controlled transitions rather than fast bending. This adds listening and body-position discrimination without requiring bigger movements or deeper stretches.

Keep playing

Let the child choose high or low for the next round. Close on that result so the child leaves with one clear idea from the activity. Find the next activity in the activity search, or make a new one with the activity generator.